Lark Rise Academy

Lark Rise Academy is performing exceptionally well across all areas of its provision. Pupils achieve highly, build strong foundations in reading, writing, mathematics and the wider curriculum, and move on to secondary school well prepared. Behaviour, personal development and leadership are strong, with pupils described as confident, compassionate and responsible, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The school provides a calm, purposeful environment with high expectations, well-structured lessons and precise support for pupils with SEND. The curriculum is ambitious and carefully overseen, and staff receive the support they need to deliver it well. Reading is a particular strength, beginning in Nursery with strong pre-phonics and continuing through daily reading opportunities. Attendance is above the national average, and pupils benefit from a wide personal development programme, including trips, digital leadership roles and well-being support. Leaders, trustees and governors evaluate their work rigorously and use clear communication and training to support staff. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since December 2013, when it was previously judged outstanding and later exempt from routine inspection. Lark Rise Academy is part of the Chiltern Learning Trust, and the report notes strong trust oversight and opportunities for leaders to share expertise beyond the school.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve highly and produce high-quality work across the curriculum
• Reading is a major strength, with strong pre-phonics in Nursery and daily reading opportunities
• Pupils with SEND thrive through precise adaptation and well-trained staff support
• Behaviour and attitudes are excellent, with high respect, strong attendance and engagement
• Personal development is rich, including trips, life-skills learning and digital leadership roles
• Leaders are meticulous in checking curriculum impact and supporting staff development
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Trustees and local governors provide rigorous oversight and share best practice

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Lark Rise Academy attended 96.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.3% of pupils at Lark Rise Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Lark Rise Academy had 20.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 8.0% of pupils at Lark Rise Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Lark Rise Academy received £6,124 and spent £5,853 for each of its 346 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £204,000 (£591 per pupil).

Across all 19 schools of Chiltern Learning Trust, income was £7,910 and spending £7,771 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Dunstable · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

Lark Rise Academy is part of Chiltern Learning Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Ardley Hill Academy Dunstable
• Lancot School Dunstable
• Challney High School for Boys Luton
• Challney High School for Girls Luton
• Dallow Primary School Luton
• Denbigh High School Luton
• Lea Manor High School Luton
• Chiltern Academy Luton
• Gilbert Inglefield Academy Leighton Buzzard
• Putteridge High School Luton

What is Lark Rise Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lark Rise Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was Lark Rise Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Lark Rise Academy was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Lark Rise Academy have?

Lark Rise Academy has 351 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lark Rise Academy cover?

Lark Rise Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Lark Rise Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lark Rise Academy?

Lark Rise Academy is at Cartmel Drive, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 3PT.